Floor surfacing machine



March 14, 1933.` .1.1. vlcENzl FLOOR SURFACING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. lO, 1929 IIIIL-ll Il Il lll Il v March 14, J; 1 V|CENZ| FLOOR SURFACING MACHINE Filed oct. 10,v 1929 4 sheets-sheet 2 March 14, 1933.- J. J. vlcENzl 1,901,681

FLOOR 'SURFACING MACHINE Filed oct. 10,'1929 4 sheets-sheet 3 J. J. VICENZI FLvooR SURFAGING MACHINEv March 14, 1933.

4 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct. l0, 1929 Patented Mar. v14, 1933 j UNITED STATES JOHN :'r. vIoENzi, oF `Bosrou, MASSnorm'saisies Vrincon s UnrAoING MACHINE j' l 4Application led October 10, 1929. VSerialll'o. 398,682.

of operation set forth in the following de-.

scription, the several novel features of the invention being particularly pointed out and defined in the claims at the close thereof. The embodiment of my invention herein illustrated includes a truck comprising a.

body on which is mounted a motor,prefer ably an Velectric motor, which operates' through certain intermediate connections to drive a vertically disposedshaft journaled in bearings on said body. At the lower end of this shaft is provided a head that is connected with the lower end of said shaftby a universal jo-int so that said head is free 25 to fit `itself accurately to the floor upon which it rests and upon which it is'operating while said shaft acts through said universal joint to rotate the same.

Another feature of the inventionv consists in constructing the grinding'head `with a plurality of vertically disposed spindles each Aequipped at its lower end with a holder for anabrasive material. These spindlesare arranged on the head around the axis of said shaft and through suitable intermediate gearing are all connected with a centrally disposed gear journaled on the head that is concentric with the axis of said shaft and which is held against Arotating with the head l 40 by the body ofthe truck.

Another feature of this invention `consists in providing a coupling member between saidV centrally disposed gear andthe body of the truck through which the former sup'- 4 ports the latter,said coupling member being constructed to permit said gear to roclr in all directions laterally with the head as the latter fits itself to the Hoor.

' In the machines for grinding cement floors and the like the grinding devices are opposite, or rear end ofthe bodv of the truck held againstk ,the floor under considerable pressure which latteris usually.v supplied by l the weight of the'head and partssu'pported by the same. It -follows therefore, that if the motor is started while connected `with the head kthe inertia of theilatter together with the excessive frictional engagement between the grinding elements and the floor offers so great resistance to themotor it frequently happens that either the' motor f is burned 'out or the fuse in the circuit of the motor is blown. `1 In order to obvia'te this objectionable fea; tureicharacterizing,machines of .this classias y heretofore constructed, I providea manually operated friction clutch as part of the power transmitting mechanism connecting thev rotatable head andthe motor soy-that the motor may be fully started independent-ly of -said head while this clutch is unset after'70 which the clutch may beset, thus avoiding subjecting the apparatus-to injurious shocks andloads. if

The bottom of the rotatable head of a surfacing machine for; operating vupon floors made from marble, terrazzo, cementv or the A like, is equippedV with/renewable blocks of grinding or polishing material which, under continuous use of the .machine, Vare worn down to auseless size and condition in a few hours. As al result the endfof the truck on which the normally vert-ical shaft isjour-` naled is gradually lowered during the use of the apparatus, and as it isdesirable for I several reasons to maintain the axis of said shaft always perpendicular to the plane of rotation ofthe head and to the fioor,'Ihave herein provided, as a feature ofthe present invention, novel means for"supporting the which provides forvertical adjustment thereof to compensate forY wear of t-he floo ren-r gaging blocks and to 'compensate for change c, in t-heheight of the head occasioned by renewal of the blocks. Another feature of my invention provides for constructing the 'truckso that the pressure'of the, head against'thefloor can be varied, within predetermined limits', as ,de-

sired,

f vshown in Fig. l.

Figurel is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Figure V is a top plan view 'of one .of the block holders hereinafter described.

`Figure 6 isa section on line 6 6 of Fig.

Figure 7 is a section on line 7-.7 of Fig. 6.

` Figure 8 is a plan view, partlyin section,

of the clutch hereinafter described.

Figure 9 is a section on line 9 9 of Fig.1.

Figure l0V is a detail, in plan, of the universal joint hereinafter described. l

The floor surfacing machine illustratedin the accompanying drawings is constructed to include' a truck or vehicle comprising a cast metal body 1 whereof one end is `sup.-` por-ted by a grinding or surfacing head 2 and. the opposite end by a pair vof wheels To the rear end of body 1 Vare rigidlyL securedthe lower ends of a pair of upwardly' and rearwardly'extendinghandle-bars e, 4; equipped at their upper ends with a handle by vmeans of which the operator moves the truck about on theiioor that is being operated jupon by theA head 2. f I

' During the operation of themachine most of the weight of the parts between a perpendicular plane extending through the axes of thewheels 3, Fig. 1, and the front 'end of body 1, as well as all oftheweight ofithe head 2, Yis utilized and operates toforcibly press the latter down` against the floor to cause said head to eiiiciently act thereon, and

Yit is a feature of this invention that the parts of the machine are-constructed and associated so that this'weight, and therefore the pressure of the head2 against the ioor, can be varied as desired7 within predetermined limits.

Y' bar of angle-iron 9.

Y theframe of the machine.

To this end the wheels 3 are loosely mounted upon an axle 6 carrying a pair of pinions 7, 7, Figs. 1 and 4, on each of which rests .a toothed rack 8 secured in position against the under side of a longitudinally disposed rlhe bars9 are disposed adjacentopposite sides of the body 1 and have their forward end portions pivotally connected with the lower ends ofadouble link 1() whose upper ends are pivotally mounted upon a cross-bar 11 forming-part of The rear ,endVV portions of the bars 9L have pivotally connected therewith the lower ends of `a .double link 12 whose upper ends are pivotally mounted on a cross-bar 18 forming part ofthe frame ofthe machine.

Each` side bar 9 is connected by a link 1 with an'arm 15 fast on a rock-shaft 16 journaled vin bearings provided upon the under side of body 1, and at one end thereof the rock-shaft 16 has fixed thereon an lupwardly extending hand-lever lfprovided Vwith a manually operatedv spring pressed latch 18 normally engaging a toothed sector 19 on rthrough ka block 20,'Figs. 2 ande, which is ,formed with a transverse threaded hole that is occupied by a screw 21 whose rear end portion extends through, and isrotatably vconiinedagainst endwise movement within, a hole provided throughan angular lcross-bar 22 fixed at its opposite endsY to the side-bars 9. At its rear outer end the screw21 is provided with a crank handle 23 by means lof which itis manually rotated to shift block 20,

axle 6 and wheels 3 lengthwise withrelation Y l to the side-bars 9, the pinions7 rollingvon the racks 9 and serving to ensure equal movement of the opposite ends of the axle.`

The head 2 is rapidly rotated by an electric motor 24 as presently to be described and this motor which is quite heavy isfixedly mounted uponthebody 1 above the racks'8 l which are made of such length thatwhen the screw 21 is operated to position the axle 6 at to position the axle 6 at or near the rear ends of the racks 8 practically all of the weight of the motor y24 is forward or ahead of lsaid axle thus supplementingthe weight of the forward end of/the body and of the rhead 2 in pressing the latter against the door. In this way the pressurevof the head2 downwardly against the yfloor can be varied as desired. y

The pinions? are held in mesh with the racks 8 by sidel bar sections 25 of angle iron, each of which is directly below one of the side bar sections 9 and fastened near its opposite ends toA the latter by bolts 26. Thus each pair of barV sections'9 and 25, together with their bolts 26 make up a complete side bar of the frame of the vrunning gear or `chassis of the truck, said side bar having a longitudinal slot through which the adjacent end portionv thereof by the ylower bar section 25.

The forward ends of the two bar sections 9 are permanently and rigidly connected by a cross-bar 27'of angle-iron shape in cross'- section.

Nea-r its forward end the body 1 `is constructed with a `'housing 28 within which is arranged the upper portion of azshaft29 that is supported in a vertical position by conical roller bearings 30 and 31 on body 1.

On shaft 29 is loosely mounted a relatively large bevel lgear 32 meshing with arsmaller beveled gear 33 fast on the forward end of a shortl horizontal longitudinally disposed shaft v34 journaled in'roller bearings 35 provided on body1.

Near 4its rear end the shaft 34 has fast lon it a sprocket wheel 36 connected by ajsprocket chain`37 with .a sprocket wheel 38fast on the :armature shaft 39 of the motor 24.

The top side or face of the large beveled gear 32 is made with a cylindrical counterbore within which is provided a contractible and expansible friction clutch member 40, Figs. 6 and 8, consisting of a splitring cooperating with the annular wall ofthe counterbore which serves as the other member of the clutch.

This split ring 40 is mounted upon a collar 41 keyed to the shaft 29 and to which one end of the spl-it ring is fastened at 42. The opposite end of the split ring co-operates with one arm -of ya lever 43 pivotally mounted at .'44 within a slot 45 provided'in the collar 41.

The other arm of lever 43 extends through a slot 46 formed in shaft 29 to theinterior of the latter whose upper portion is made hollow or tubular to receivewithin it a wedge member 47in the formv of a plunger thatis circular in cross-section and made with an intermediate tapered or conical portion to engage the lever 43. The lower reduced yendv portion of the plunger 47 is seated upon a spring 48 which yieldingly urges the plunger upwardly.

Abutting the upperend of the wedge vmember 47 is a push-bar 48 slidably mounted within a bushing 49 provided at the upper end of the shaft 29. The upper end of push'- bar 48 co-operates with one `arm of a lever 50 fulcrumed at 51 on the housing 28 ,whose other arm is pivotally connected with the upper end of a stem or spindle 52, the lower end of spindle 52 occupying a hole provided in the body 1 so that said spindle is mainv ltained in a vertical position.

Slidably mounted on the spindle52 vis an` abutment collar 54 on which is seated a stift1 spring 55 whose upper end .bears against another abutment collar 56 that is held in a fixed position on the spindle 52 by a pin 57 extending through the latter. Y l

Fulcrumed at 58 on the body 1 is a bellcrank lever 59 whereof one arm is forked and embraces the spindle 52immediately below the collar 54 against which it-bears. To thegother arm of bell-crank 59 lis pivotally connected one end of a link 60 inthe form of a round rod hav-ingits rear .end-'portion threaded as shown in Fig. 1. 1

Upon the threadedl rear Aend ,portionuof' the link 60 is mounted a nut 6l made with a crank arm 62 by means ofwh'ich it isi'otated. This nut 61 bearsagainst an abut? ment block 63 fastened at 64 4to'one tof the Y handle-bars 4.

lVhen the machine is 61 is screwed up tight against the abutment block 63 so that the link" 60 acts through'the* bell-crank 59 to forcibly urgecol'lar4 A54u-pwardly thereby compressing the spring 55 sufficiently to cause it to act through spindle 52, lever 50 and push-bari48v toyieldingly- .operation the' force the wedge-member 47 downwardlyl When the wedge-member is thus held forced downwardly it'acts through 'theyl'ever 43 to maintain the split ring 40 expanded Vand yin clutching engagement with the large beveled gearv 32. Thus under these conditions 'the shaft 29 is being continuously rotated-by` gear 32. .i f

To stop the'rotation of shaft :29 byge'ar 32 the nut 61 is unscrewed until the pressure of spring 48, Fig. 6, is sufficient-to raise'the v wedge member 47. When said wedge member vis thus raised itspressure against the lever 43 is removed which permits thesplit gear 32. When the clutchis thus unset the large gear 32 is idly rotated "by `the'gear 33 and shaft 29 remains at rest. l/Vlien the motor 24 yis to be `started to place the machine .in condition forzusethe nut 61,l

ring. 40 to contractand unclutch from `theis first unsorewed suiciently to `unset `the clutch after which theoperator startsfthemotor by adjust-ing the 'memberg65 of ak control box K fastened .at theiry ends tothe handlebars 4.

66 mounted 'upon .cross-bars 67 l lNhen themotor'is inI operation at `full speed the nut 61 is manually screwed up `and acts through the spring 55 ually` set the clutch tating gear 32then this way injurious shocks heretofore imposed to yieldingly and grad'- through which the l. ro-

dfves the shaft 29, 111.1'

upon the mechanism are avoidedwandfburning out of the motor or blowing out of fuseslis ob-l viated. i At its forwardv end the body 1 4is made with a pair of depending armsv 68,v Figs.' 1, 6 and 9, between whichis disposed'a coupling mem# ber comprising a ring 68 havingtwo 'pairs v of integral radially extending trunnions 7() and 71. The trunnionsf71-occ'upy socket--K slots 7 2 provided at the lower ends of arms 68 and by engagement with the inner ends thereof support the body'l, while the trunnions 70 rest vinsoclet-slots .73 lprovided at the vupper end of the hub 7 4'o'f av'masterVv gear y 7 5tha-t is within the head 2.

It will be apparent that each trunnion 70 and 71 is free to rock .and to' also moveend-- wise to a limited extent within itslsocketl slot. v l

This provides `Va 'connection between the head 2 and body l through which'the former supports the latter and which not only perhollow and concentricallyk surrounding the y lower end portion ofthe shaft'29 which exinto the square socket boX"r frame 7 6 within which tends through it.

The-head 2 comprises a hollow cast iron the gear 75 is by the bottom mmngedso 21S UO be supported Wall thereof, v f

The lower vend portion of shaft 29 is made squarein cross-section and fits telescopically 77, Figs. 6 and l0, of themember'78 of a universaljoint of ordinary construction This member 78 is made i with oppositely disposed trunnions 79 jour- Cil ' vthe exterior ofboXf76` f the body 85 of a `block holder and the lower naled in :an Vouter ring member() made with a pair of oppositely disposed trunnions 8l rotatablyrconfined within sockets provided upon the bottom wall of box 76. The two pai-rs of trunnions 9 and 8l are aty right angles to each other thus providing for universal rocking or tilting `movement of kbox 76 relatively to shaft 2 Y Journaled in Vbearings provided upon the box 76 are three vertically disposed spindles 82 arranged Vequidistant around the gear` 75 and .on each is keyed a pinion 83 connected by an intermediate gear Sewith the stationary gear 75.

Each spindle 82 extends ldownwardly to where it rests upon holderk that is made upon its top side with a socket boss 86 into which the lowerA end of the spindle is telescopically fitted. Each socket boss 86 is made witlroppositely disposed longitudinal slots occupied by keylugs 87 projecting from its spindle through which rotary motion of the latter is transmitted to the block holder.v

nach holder bodves is of diskiike Shape and is madev upon its under side with yperiph-v eral vsockets 88 within each of which a block 89 of carborundum, emery, or the like, is clamped by means of a jaw 90 and screw9l.

The described connection between each end of its spindle provi des a universal j ointl which allows the holdf the bos 7e That is,

tilt or rock in any direction to lit all of the each holder is free to lrection to lity itself to er to lit itself to the floorindependently of the box 7 6 is free te holders to the floor and atf-the same time tilt or rock in any'dithe floor. This is a novel and. desirable 'feature of my machine.

The abrasive blocks 89 are. two or three inches in height andare worn down to a` useless thickness in about eight hours when new ones are substituted.

yDuring the operation of the machine the wear ofthe blocks 89 gradually lowers the forward end of body l but by means of the thereto; means through which `mounted on said body; operating uponthe floor including a body hand lever 17, adjusted by theoperator'j-at operating upon the floor including a frame carrying a plurality of vertically disposed spindles journaled onsaid frame eachof which is provided at its lower end-with a floor engaging tool; vmeans through which said motor rotates said head including a ver-v tical shaft j ournaled on and supported'by' said truck body; a` universal joint connecting the lower end of said shaft with said head so that the latter can tilt laterally in all directions relatively thereto and through which said shaft rotates said head,v and gearing carried by said head for rotating said spindles Jon their own axes as said head is rotated, said gearing including a master gear that is concentric with respect to the axis of said'head, and a universal jointconnecting said master gear with said body by which said master gear isheld against rotating with lsaid yhead and by which one end of said body is sup'- ported. Y

2. A machineof thecharacter described comprising a truck including a body.;` a motor mounted on said body;

operating upon the -lioor including a frame spindles journaled thereon to the lower'end ofeachof whicha floor'engaging tool is connected sothat it can'tilt universally relatively said motor rotates said headv includingV a.V journaled on said trunk body; a universal joint connecting the lower end o f said shaft with said head so that Vthe latter can tilt laterally relatively thereto in lall directions and through which said shaft rotates said head, and spindle rotating gearing carried by said frame and connected with 'saidft-ruck body independently of said shaft, saidgear-` memberfon said frame ing including a gear through which the lower endl portion of said shaft extends out of contact therewith, and a universal joint through which Vsaid gear i member supports one end of said body and by which said gear member is held against n,

rotating.

3. machine of thecharacter described comprising a truck including a body; a motor -carrying a plurality of verticallyy disposed spindles journaled thereon to thelower end of each of which a floor engaging tool is con neetedso 'that it can tilt universally relatively thereto; means through which said motor rotates said head includingfa vertical s'haftrt vertical shaft i' a rotatable head for i a rotatabley head for journaled on said body; a universal oint connecting the lower end of said shaft withsaid head so that the latter can tilt laterally relatively thereto and through which said shaft rotates said head, and spindle rotating means carried by said head and connected with said body independently of said shaft,- including a universal joint through which said head supports one end of said body.

4. A machine of the .character described comprising a truck body; a motor mounted upon said body; a rotatable head supporting one end of said body; means through which 1 said motor operates said head; a truck chassis movably connected with said truck body; a hand lever fulcrumed on said body; means connecting said lever and chassis through which lthe latter supports the opposite end of said body and through which said lever acts to raise and lower said end when adjusted on its fulcrum; means for securing said lever in adjusted position; wheels adjustably connected with said chassis, and means operable to adjust said wheels onv said chassis toward and from said head to vary the weight imposed thereon.

5. A machine of the character described comprising a truck including a body; a pair of wheels vfor supporting one end of said body; an axle connecting said wheels; va pair of pinions fast on said axle, one near each end thereof; a pair of longitudinally disposed racks of teeth connected with said body and each meshing with one of said pinions; a motor mounted on said body in proximity to said wheels; a rotatable tool-carrying head'v resting on the floor and supporting the opposite end of said body; means through which said Vmotor operates to rotate said head, and

a manually operated screw rotatably supi ported by said truck and operable to shift said aXle and wheels toward and from said head as said pinions traverse said racks.

Signed by me at Boston, county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, this 4th day of October, 1929.

4 Y JOHN J. VICENZI. 

